The Behavior Of Storks
Surely you know the legend of the storks carrying babies. A popular myth due to the ancient belief that these splendid birds were carriers of good luck and prosperity. Despite being very popular animals , the behavior of storks is still poorly understood. If you want to get to know this bird better, do not miss the following article.
The stork: physical characteristics and taxonomy
Storks are large and elegant birds, which fall into the wading group . Like cranes, hen, flamingos and herons. The main characteristic of this group of birds is the shape of their legs, very long and thin, just like the stilts of acrobats. This physical quality allows them to walk safely in rivers, lake areas and shallow marshes. Right here, they engage in the search for food.
Their body structure is slender and light, however with abundant and soft plumage , which is usually black and white in color. They have a large S-shaped neck while the head, in relation to the rest, appears much smaller and elongated. The beak is pointed, narrow and decidedly long.
Types of storks
Let’s now look at the six most common subspecies of stork. In Italy, the black variety has been included by the IUCN in its red list of endangered animals, having been declared as a vulnerable species :
- White Stork: Ciconia linneaus
- Black: Ciconia nigra
- Eastern: Ciconia fanciullesca
- White-necked stork: Ciconia espicopus
- African anastome: Anastomus lamelligerus
- Asian anastome : Anastomus oscitans
Habits and behavior of storks
When on land, the way storks walk and move can appear clumsy at first glance. The very long legs make its gait slow, rigid and somewhat funny, similar to that of a doll. However, when they take flight, these birds reveal great speed and remarkable elegance, thus demonstrating all their beauty in plying the skies.
When it’s time to sleep, storks adopt a very particular pose, typical of wading birds. They bend one of their legs against their body, squeeze it and remain perfectly balanced on the other. The leg that remains on the ground remains stiff and straight, until the stork wakes up.
What do storks eat?
Like the vast majority of birds, storks maintain a varied diet. They usually consume any species of small animals that inhabit swamps, ponds, lakes, rivers, etc. The daily diet depends on the availability of food they can find and also on the time of year, age, etc.
It uses its long, strong beak as a kind of harpoon to catch and take down its prey, as well as to dig in ponds. And if food is scarce, storks can also consume human food residues, carrion or garbage. In this sense, they are birds capable of adapting to contingent situations.
Where do storks live?
The natural habitat of storks corresponds to environments with shallow waters. These birds can live in wetlands and lakes, on the banks of rivers and lakes, near ponds and reservoirs.
However, storks often build their nest in high places to protect their offspring. Normally, they prefer to nest in the tallest branches of trees, choosing the strongest and most leafy ones. Stork nests can often be found even on church steeples or high towers.
They are migratory birds but, despite this, they always return to the same place to mate and reproduce. Season after season, they improve and strengthen the nest to accommodate new chicks.
In many countries, storks are protected by law and it is forbidden to touch their nests, even when they are now uninhabited. Moving them, in fact, can interfere with their reproductive cycle and threaten the continuation of the species.
Behavior of storks: migration
Storks are migratory birds that, with the arrival of low temperatures, must embark on a long journey in search of warmth and a more comfortable habitat . During the fall, these birds mainly fly to southern Africa, where they find abundant food and a warmer climate.
On their journey, they cross the Strait of Gibraltar and the Sahara Desert to reach their destination. It is estimated that they can fly more than 100 kilometers per day. However, as high temperatures approach the African continent, these birds prepare to spend the summer in Central or Eastern Europe.
Migration is a fundamental aspect of stork behavior, as it allows for their survival and reproduction. We must remember that the domestic possession of this species is considered absolutely illegal.
